News

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris on Tuesday released the second annual report detailing the 167 data breaches reported to the Attorney General’s office in 2013 that impacted 18.5 million Californians by putting their personal information at risk.

The report is accompanied by recommendations from the attorney general for consumers, businesses and lawmakers on how to protect against data breaches and prevent them in the future.

“Data breaches pose a serious threat to the privacy, finances and personal security of California consumers,” Attorney General Harris said. “The fight against these kind of cybercrimes requires the use of innovative strategies by government and the private sector to protect our state’s consumers and businesses. I strongly encourage more use of encryption to significantly reduce the risk of data breaches.”

In 2013, the number of reported data breaches increased by 28 percent, from 131 in 2012 to 167 in 201.

The number of Californians’ whose records were affected increased by over 600 percent, from 2.5 million in 2012 to 18.5 million in 2013.

This increase was largely due to two massive retailer breaches at Target and LivingSocial, each of which put the personal information of approximately 7.5 million Californians at risk.

More than half of the 2013 breaches (53 percent) were caused by computer intrusions, such as malware and hacking. The remaining breaches resulted from physical loss or theft of laptops or other devices containing unencrypted personal information (26 percent), unintentional errors (18 percent) and intentional misuse (four percent).

The report includes specific tips and recommendations to reduce the frequency and impact of future breaches.

For consumers:

– Monitor your credit and debit card accounts for suspi­cious transactions and report any to the card-issuing bank. Ask the bank for online monitor­ing and alerts on the card account.
– If a data breach notice says your health insurance or health plan number was involved, contact your insurer or plan and ask them to note the breach in their records and to flag your account number.
– If a data breach notice involves your password or user ID, change both for that account and any other accounts containing the same information.

For retailers:

– Update point-of-sale terminals so that they are chip-enabled and install the necessary software.
– Implement appropriate encryption solutions to devalue payment card data, including encrypting the data from the point of capture until completion of transaction authorization.
– Implement appropriate tokenization solutions to devalue payment card data, including online and mobile transactions.
– Respond promptly to payment card data breaches that occur in retail systems and improve the helpfulness of the “substitute notices” provided via web site and media.

For the health care industry:

– Use strong encryption to protect medical information on laptops and on other portable devices, and consider encryption for desktop computers.

For the Legislature:

– Consider legislation to amend the breach notice law in order to strengthen the substitute notice procedure; clarify the roles and responsibilities of data owners and data maintainers; and require a final breach report to the Attorney General.
– Consider legislation to provide funding to support system upgrades for small California retailers.

In 2003, California was the first state to pass a law (AB 700, Simitian) mandating data breach notifications. This law requires businesses and state agencies to notify Californians when their personal information is compromised in a security breach.

In 2012, companies and state agencies subject to the law were also required, for the first time, to report any breach that involved more than 500 Californians to the Attorney General’s Office. (SB 24, Simitian).

Two recommendations from Attorney General Harris’ 2012 data breach report have been enacted as amendments to the AB 700.

Attorney General Harris’ 2012 report recommended that, as a result of increased criminal focus on stealing online account credentials, this type of personal information should be included in SB 24.

Based on the California Department of Justice’s recommendation, SB 46 of 2013 was enacted to do just that and the law took effect in January 2014.

The 2012 report also recommended that companies should offer mitigation products or provide information on the security freeze to victims of breaches of Social Security numbers or driver’s license numbers.

In 2014, AB 1710 was enacted, requiring the source of a breach of such data to offer identity theft prevention or mitigation services at no cost to the affected person and for no less than 12 months.  It will take effect in January 2015.

The full Data Breach 2013 report is available here: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/privacy/2014data_breach_rpt.pdf? .

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The State Water Resources Control Board has ordered the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District to stop allowing new service connections to its water system due to concerns that, under current drought conditions, the district doesn’t have enough water to meet demand.

The temporary service connection moratorium, issued on Oct. 17, will remain in effect until the district fulfills the directives of a state-issued compliance order that requires an alternative source of water be established, according to state officials.

If the district doesn’t follow the state’s order, it could face citations and other administrative penalties.

Hidden Valley Lake was one of 22 districts in the state to receive the order. No other Lake County district received it, state officials confirmed.

The regulations from which the actions being enforced against Hidden Valley Lake arose were approved by the State Water Resources Control Board at its July meeting.

The agency said the regulations were developed following legislation signed by Gov. Jerry Brown that expanded regulatory and enforcement powers during the drought emergency.

Hidden Valley Lake has been categorized with several other smaller water districts in the “junior” rights designation as opposed to much larger “senior” rights holders in the Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley.

An Oct. 17 letter to Roland Sanford, general manager of the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District, signed by State Water Resources Control Board Engineer Michelle Frederick stated, “Because of drought conditions and senior water right demands, the Water Board’s Division of Water Rights determined that water was not available for Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District public water system’s Grange wells sources and notified the (district) of the need to curtail its diversions.”

Sanford’s reaction to the state penalty: “The allusion I use is we are caught in a giant net that was meant for smaller fish. The trick to is get out of this thing.

“My personal opinion on this is that we are a junior water rights holder but we do have a permit to divert water and a community of 6,000 people,” he added. “It’s not practical to shut us off.”

Sanford said the district will host a Nov. 4 workshop – the time of which has not yet been set – in order to help both the district board and residents better understand the circumstances that led to the connection moratorium.

Sanford believes that the curtailment notice issue is not closed and can be lifted through discussions with the state.

Water board officials said that any changes would require a process be followed.

The situation leading to the moratorium

Frederick’s letter explains that California Health and Safety Code Section 116655 requires each public water system in the state to have a reliable source of water to serve its customers.

In this case, the state estimates Hidden Valley Lake’s population at 5,600 residents, with 2,444 service connections. The district puts the number of residences at 6,000.

Her letter is accompanied by a 12-page compliance order because the state determined the district had violated Section 116655.

In May, the State Water Resources Control Board issued curtailment notices to junior water rights holders in the Sacramento River and San Joaquin River watersheds, the order explained.

At that time, the Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District was notified of “the need to immediately stop diverting under the System’s post-1914 water rights.”

Sanford said the district’s source of water in the impacted watershed is the Putah Creek underflow. He said the district has “appropriative” – defined as “first in time, first in right” – water rights to the underflow.

The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District’s Grange wells are approved sources of water supply for the district. However, “Based on the Board’s water production and consumption records for the System, the Board has determined that without the use of the curtailed Sacramento River Watershed water right, the System is not able to provide an adequate and reliable supply of water to its customers for human health and safety uses,” the order states.

Sanford sent the state a letter, dated June 26, expressing concerns regarding the state’s drought-related emergency regulations and curtailment of diversions to protect senior water rights.

“While we understand the rationale for the proposed emergency regulations, we believe the regulations, as currently crafted, will unduly punish those entities that through favorable geography and/or significant water supply reliability investments are less affected by the ongoing drought, by subjecting them to remedies that are appropriately directed toward others. Remedies that when misapplied, result in unnecessary significant economic impacts,” Sanford wrote.

He also asked for time for the district to present its case about why it should be exempt from all or portions of the state’s regulations and curtailment order. Sanford asked for additional guidance on the proposed emergency regulations.

At its meeting July 1 and 2, the State Water Resources Control Board went forward with approving the emergency regulations and curtailments, which would lead to the compliance order against Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District.

On July 25, the State Water Resources Control Board followed up by denying a petition the district had filed in April seeking changes to its water rights in the Putah Creek underflow, including the elimination of requirements that water from its municipal wells be used to augment low water flows in Putah Creek from July 15 to Oct. 15 each year.

Because the district’s water diversion rights had been curtailed, the board said it’s couldn’t approve the district’s requests.

Even if the state lifted curtailment notices, that would not relieve the district from its requirements under the compliance order, state officials told Lake County News.

What the state requires

The compliance order contains seven directives, the first of which orders Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District to immediately stop offering service connections to its water system.

The second directive, which has a Nov. 3 deadline, is to identify all of the properties that have been issued a “will serve” letter for water service but where a connection hasn’t yet been made.

According to the rest of the directives, the district has until Nov. 21 to advise property owners and local planning agencies that the will serve letters are null and void.

At the same time, the district has to provide the state with copies of all of the will serve letters, a list of affected properties, a current list of all service connections and a plan for complying with the state’s conservation regulation.

The district also has been ordered to prepare a source capacity planning study by next May and provide quarterly progress reports on its compliance measures until a new projected system demand plan is fully implemented.

He said the state’s actions won’t impact the district's rate study, begun earlier this year.

The study is meant to help the district look at potential rate increases in order to carry out needed upgrades to its treatment and collection facilities, as Lake County News has reported.

Potential economic impacts

One of the damaging effects effect of the compliance order imposed by the state will be to silence the hammers of new home construction.

Sanford said no “will serve” letters current are pending for the district, and neither are there pending applications.

“However, several contractors have expressed frustration because prior to the moratorium they were already planning to submit applications for hookups for projects they were hoping to construct later this year or in 2015,” he said.

Those who potentially could suffer most under these conditions are independent contractors entertaining plans to build on one of 853 vacant lots.

“The people who own these lots are predominantly builders who have bought lots to build new homes,” said Alan Citrin, one of the independent contractors.

“Retired people have purchased lots to build their retirement home,” said Citrin. “Holding these lots costs about $2,000 a year to own. That includes taxes, homeowner association fees and weed abatement. But (without water hookups) their property is worth next to nothing until CSD comes back into compliance with state.”

Sanford doesn’t dispute Citrin’s summation.

“Unfortunately, that’s correct,” he said. “If this (drought) were to go on for a long period of time somebody who owned one of the lots here might just say, ‘Aw forget it,’ and walk away from it.”

Realtor Carson Underwood, president of Hidden Valley Lake Realty Inc., said his business is just getting started in the vacant lot market, which does not represent a large percentage of his business right now.

However, Underwood, who has spent 20 years in the Hidden Valley Lake real estate business, observed, “When they can’t get water they basically kick the leg out from under construction.”

Another consideration, said Underwood, is the Hidden Valley Lake Association.

“If a lot doesn’t have water it’s going to make it very, very difficult to sell. And you have people who’ll say, “Why should I pay the taxes on this lot? Why should I pay the dues?” he said.

HVLA board president Bill Waite, weighing in on the issue, said: “The anticipated moratorium from the State Water Resources Control Board regarding new water service hookups is certainly a blow to anyone contemplating building a new home in Hidden Valley. This was a blanket order sent to all junior water right holders in the Sacramento drainage area without any onsite analysis by the state. However, after talking with Roland Sanford we have to realize that the order is temporary and it’s conditional on our drought. Since our water availability in HVL is adequate for our needs I believe that CSD’s appeal of the order will prevail which will be a relief to lot owners.”

Forestalling that effort, however, is finding an alternative source of water to the present one, one of the state’s requirements. The only other source at the moment is the Hidden Valley Lake itself.

“This is not going to be easy,“ said Sanford. “It could easily take three to five years.

“The water is physically here,” he added. “The problem is we’re caught in a bigger mess.”

Sanford is acutely aware that there may be a maelstrom of criticism against him before the penalty phase is over.

“It could happen,” he said. “But we’ll get through it … We’ll get through it.”

Editor’s note: The second paragraph of the story has been corrected to clarify under what conditions the order would be lifted.

Elizabeth Larson contributed to this report.

Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The second annual Trunk or Treat event at the Clearlake Youth Center and Redbud Park will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Halloween night – Friday, Oct. 31.

At the free event you'll find food, Halloween games and activities, a bouncy house, a haunted house, live music from Borrowed Time and an assortment of decorated trunks handing out candy to those that attend.  

This year, Lake County Youth Services will start the event with a parade beginning at 4:30 p.m. and originating from Highlands Park on Lakeshore Drive and moving toward the youth center.

At 6:30 p.m. they will start the Halloween costume contests.

If you are interested in having a booth with activities or having a decorated trunk to hand out candy from, please contact Bruno Sabatier at 707-695-0834 or Ami Landrum at 707-350-7419.  

Any and all donations are greatly appreciated.  

If you want to help us with this event, please contact Joyce Overton, the director of the Clearlake Youth Center, at 707-994-KIDS.

Visit the event's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trunkortreatclearlake .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Nov. 1 the Lake County Library’s new catalog “Find at the Library” will make its debut.

Patrons can request books, DVDs, and audiobooks from Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake County libraries at their home computers and pick them up at their local branches with their library cards.

“Finding what you want at the library is fun and easy with the new catalog,” says Lake County Library director Christopher Veach. “The new catalog has more relevant search results than the old one, search suggestions, and spell check. The new catalog has improved navigation and improved limits. Search results can be switched from detail view to cover view. You can text or email search results to yourself in order to find a book on the shelf.”

Patrons can now find and download ebooks and downloadable audiobooks right alongside traditional books in the catalog.

Many books include summaries, reviews and even previews of the contents.

Another improved feature is “My Lists” which lets patrons save multiple titles on different wish lists to request or read later.

To see the new catalog, go to the Lake County Library Web site, http://library.co.lake.ca.us , and click on the “Find at the Library” catalog link.

For more information contact one of Lake County’s four libraries.

Lakeport Library is located at 1425 N. High St., telephone 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library is located at 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake, telephone 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library is located at 21256 Washington St., telephone 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library is located at 310 Second St., telephone 707-275-2049.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Monday the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that the major disaster declaration for the South Napa earthquake also will include the Individuals and Households Program under the Stafford Act.

This amendment makes assistance available to help homeowners and renters recover from the earthquake.

“This is a very welcome announcement for those individuals that had their daily lives changed by this earthquake,” said Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci. “Additional federal resources like this program will be a huge help to everyone impacted, especially those struggling with major damages and limited personal resources.”

Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. and local, state and Congressional officials requested a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration as damages caused by the 6.0-magnitude earthquake that shook through most of Northern California mounted.

In response, President Barack Obama declared a Major Disaster on Sept. 11. The Major Disaster Declaration allowed for public assistance to be available to state, tribal and eligible governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged during the earthquake.

The Individuals and Households Program will provide assistance to residents in Napa and Solano counties.

“We are glad to be able to assist individual households as well as state and local governments in recovering from this earthquake,” said FEMA's Federal Coordinating Officer Stephen De Blasio. “We ask those Californians who sustained earthquake damage to get registered as quickly as possible.”

Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency shortly after the earthquake, whose epicenter was near American Canyon and the city of Napa, and issued an executive order to provide additional financial assistance to local agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Individuals who are interested in finding out more information about eligibility for the Individual and Households Program should call or register at 800-621-FEMA (3362), TTY 800-462-7585 or visit www.DisasterAssistance.gov .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In its latest report on local home sales, the Lake County Association of Realtors said the median sales price of single family residences for the third quarter of 2014 – July, August and September – showed a month-to-month increase in median sales price while the units sold showed a month-to-month decrease. 

The median sales price in July was $168,000, rising to $172,000 in August and increasing again in September, when it reached $185,000, the association said.

The number of units sold was 79 in July, 73 in August and 58 in September. LCAOR said these trends are similar to what is being seen on a statewide basis.

The number of active listings remained relatively stable throughout the quarter ranging from a high of 479 in August to a low of 451 in September, LCAOR said.

“Quarterly results for the third quarter were very comparable to the second quarter’s results,” said LCAOR President Rick White. “The third quarter had a median sales price of $172,000, which was slightly down from the second quarter median sales price of $175,000. On a quarter-to-quarter basis, the number of units sold remained relatively unchanged also.”

Compared to one year ago, the third quarter results showed a 17-percent increase in median price and a 13-percent decrease in the units sold, the association reported.

For more information about LCAOR visit www.lcaor.com .